Dlectricity Returns to Detroit Next Week

The two-day outdoor art festival will feature work by more than 40 Detroit-based, national, and international artists
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DLECTRICITY
A light show is displayed on the Detroit Institute of Arts during Dlectricity鈥檚 2017 event. This year鈥檚 festival takes place on Sept. 24 and 25. // Photograph by Dave Lewinski

Art, light, and technology installations by more than 40 artists will be on display at this month鈥檚 Dlectricty outdoor festival. Produced by the nonprofit planning and development agency Midtown Detroit Inc., the nighttime event takes place throughout Detroit鈥檚 Cultural Center 鈥 an 83-acre site in Midtown that includes the Detroit Public Library, Detroit Institute of Arts, The Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, and other institutions 鈥 and at Beacon Park on Sept. 24 and 25.

鈥淒lectricity celebrates the immense power of art and culture in bringing us together,鈥 says Susan Mosey, executive director of Midtown Detroit Inc., in a press release. 鈥淲e are grateful to our incredible partners whose support makes it possible to bring these world-class artists and projects to Detroit and produce a beautiful outdoor event that allows us to safely connect with art and one another.鈥

Dlectricity attendees can travel across the festival to see a range of projects by Detroit-based, national, and international artists. Among this year鈥檚 displays is a mapped video projection with sounds and lasers from French multimedia artist Yann Nguma, a giant illuminated inflatable sculpture by Australian artist Amanda Parer, an audiovisual installation by interdisciplinary artist Tiff Massey that immerses visitors in a music video, and a video projection piece by transmedia artist Stephanie Dinkins that features oral histories from generations of Black women.

Amanda Parer - Dlectricity
Amanda Parer, whose 2019 piece 鈥淢an鈥 is pictured above, is among the artists participating in this year鈥檚 Dlectricity. Photograph by Rami-Saarikorpi

Meanwhile, performances and scheduled events include an extended audiovisual performance of 鈥淚s My Mind a Machine Gun?,鈥 a video art piece by singer Kesswa and electronic musician Shigeto that was originally presented on the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit鈥檚 digital platform. The piece will be shown at the Beacon Park Stage. Attendees can also check out the Michigan theatrical premiere of Awaken. A part of the Freep Film Festival, the documentary highlights Earth鈥檚 natural wonders and will be shown at the Michigan Science Center. And Dlectricity鈥檚 signature Light Bike Parade 鈥 a mobile art event in which participants ride decked-out bikes 鈥 will travel a 3-mile route from the Traffic Jam in Midtown to Beacon Park.

There is no cost to attend Dlectricity. As far as COVID protocols, organizers ask that guests stay home if they feel sick, maintain social distancing, and sanitize their hands regularly. Masks will be required to interact with many installations and waiting in line, and guests are encouraged to wear them in other spaces as well. Wayne Health Mobile Units will be administering Pfizer vaccines both days of the festival.

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